GREENVILLE, S.C., Oct. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- As new
electric vehicles (EV) enter the market and strong sales growth
continues nationwide, Duke Energy has proposed an electric
transportation (ET) pilot program that will allow South Carolina to join other states in
deploying EV infrastructure to meet the needs of this growing
market.
"Electric vehicles are coming to South
Carolina, but more investment is needed to grow the adoption
of this evolving technology and the benefits it brings to the
state," said Kodwo Ghartey-Tagoe,
Duke Energy's South Carolina
president. "We must prepare for this by providing for and better
understanding the electrical needs of this growing population."
The proposed $10 million pilot
consists of four programs designed to research and better
understand the effects of increasing adoption of electric
transportation on Duke Energy's electric system, the behavior of
customers and the potential financial and environmental benefits to
the state of South Carolina. They
include:
- Residential EV Charging Program
This program will provide a rebate and ongoing quarterly
participation payments for up to 400 residential customers
installing qualifying Level II charging equipment in exchange for
utility management of home charging during defined hours. A Level
II EVSE allows customers to charge their EVs up to six times faster
than a standard 120 volt wall outlet.
- EV School Bus Charging Station Program
This program is designed to facilitate the replacement of older
diesel school buses with modern, clean, zero-emission electric
school buses, reducing operating costs and eliminating harmful
diesel emissions from the daily commutes of school children in
South Carolina. Duke Energy will
provide financial support for the purchase of about 30 electric
school buses. In addition to studying the charging characteristics
and usage patterns of electric school buses, this program will test
bidirectional power flow abilities of electric school buses and the
potential to use their batteries during times of high electric
demand or during disaster recovery.
- EV Transit Bus Charging Station Program
Duke Energy will provide financial support to eligible transit
agency customers electing to procure electric transit buses for up
to 30 electric transit bus charging stations. Electric transit
buses also eliminate diesel emissions and reduce fuel and
maintenance costs for transit agencies.
- DC Fast Charging Station Program
Duke Energy will install, own and operate up to 30 DC Fast Charging
("DCFC") installations across its South
Carolina territory to provide a foundational level of
infrastructure and facilitate EV market growth.
"Lack of charging stations is commonly cited as a barrier to
purchasing an EV," said Lang
Reynolds, Duke Energy's manager for electric transportation
initiatives. "That's why our proposed pilot programs are designed
to install a foundational level of fast charge infrastructure and
better understand the effects of increasing adoption of electric
transportation."
The estimated cost of the pilot is about $10.4 million over the proposed initial three
years of the programs. The pilot must be approved by the Public
Service Commission of South
Carolina (PSCSC) before it can be offered to customers.
Visit the PSCSC website for additional information on the
proposed Duke Energy Carolinas and Duke Energy Progress pilot
programs.
Duke Energy
Headquartered in Charlotte,
N.C., Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK) is one of the largest energy
holding companies in the U.S., with approximately 29,000 employees
and a generating capacity of 49,500 megawatts. The company is
transforming its customers' experience, modernizing its energy
grid, generating cleaner energy and expanding its natural gas
infrastructure to create a smarter energy future for the people and
communities it serves.
The company's Electric Utilities and Infrastructure unit serves
approximately 7.6 million retail electric customers in six states –
North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio
and Kentucky. Its Gas Utilities
and Infrastructure unit distributes natural gas to approximately
1.6 million customers in five states – North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky. Its Commercial Renewables unit
operates a growing renewable energy portfolio across the U.S.
A Fortune 125 company, Duke Energy was named to Fortune's 2018
"World's Most Admired Companies" list and Forbes' 2018 "America's
Best Employers" list.
More information about the company is available at
duke-energy.com. The Duke Energy News Center includes news
releases, fact sheets, photos, videos and other materials. Duke
Energy's illumination features stories about people, innovations,
community topics and environmental issues. Follow Duke Energy on
Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.
Contact:
Ryan Mosier
24-Hour: 800.559.3853
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SOURCE Duke Energy